Two Familiar Things
by garden-nomes
Summary: Alex comforts Piper after Miller is found dead. Set after 1x10. One-Shot and my first OITNB fic. Rated M for language.


**A/N: Hi everyone, this is my first (hopefully not my last) OITNB fic. I hope you like it, it's set after the ending of episode 1x10, when Miller gets wheeled off after her overdose. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own OITNB, if I did, I'd write myself into the script and have myself locked in a storage room with Alex for a few hours. *REOW***

**All typographical aerators are the property of the iPad on which my fan fiction is typed. **

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**(Piper POV)**

Everyone is in the corridor, crowing around in one corner, the CO's making sure we stay back. Nicky is standing to the right of me, as well as Big Boo. Alex is on my left, and Red nearby, too. We are all shocked as Miller's body is wheeled past us on a gurney, shrouded in a black body bag. Boo breaks down and Nicky pulls her into her arms, hugging her close.

But I, am numb. I've never experienced this before. And it shocks me. I mean, I know I haven't been here long, but since I have, I've been stalked by a crazy lesbian, starved by a dubiously connected Russian chef, and then to top it all off, the reason for my being here in the first place shows up and walks back into my life. But, unlike Miller, I still have my life. I am still breathing. I am suddenly very glad for that, in spite of my incarceration.

I feel an arm around me, realising that it belongs to Alex. Time has sort of frozen for me, and all I can see is Miller being wheeled off. I didn't even know her that well, only that she was with that girl that got out a while ago, Mercy I think her name was. Caputo and Healy are standing at the end of the corridor muttering between themselves, and Healy's eyes, it feels like they are burning me.

But Alex's arm around my shoulders is keeping me grounded. I glare back at Healy and feel myself turn around, but feel more the gentle pull as Alex draws me into her arms and hug me.

"Shhh, baby. It's ok." I hear her voice, and it's calming, soothing. I bury my head into her neck and feel the tears falling from my eyes. "Come on." I hear her tell me, and she begins to lead me somewhere, although where, I can't really tell. It's all a blur, really, until she leads me into the chapel, and takes me to sit behind the altar, beneath the coloured windows. She sits against the dark wood, and pulls me down in front of her, letting me sit between her legs. She wraps her arms around me and holds me close.

Neither of us says anything for a while, she just holds me while I cry, she found some paper towel tucked under the altar and handed it to me so I could blow my nose. "If you run out you can just use my shoulder." She said softly, her tone gentle. I nodded, and we sat here a while longer. "You ok, Pipes?" She finally said.

"Yeah. Just wasn't expecting that." I replied.

"Yeah." Alex said. "Pretty sure none of us planned on seeing a corpse when we woke up this morning."

I laughed slightly, in spite of the humourless cloud hanging over the day. Alex's hands were layered between mine, and she gently squeezed them. "Thanks. If you hadn't...I might have gone and yelled at Healy." I said.

"It was either that, or go punch his fucking lights out myself." Alex replied. "I saw the look he was giving us."

"He's an asshole. He's homophobic."

"I really admire the credentials of the guards they employ in a federal penitentiary." Alex smirked. "Two butt-ugly officers having an affair, a homophobic fatherly type, and let's not forget Pornstache..."

I shook my head, laughing. I turned around and nestled my head into her neck. I didn't really know what to say after what we had been through lately, the truth is I wasn't sure what to do...about Larry, or Alex. I might be with Larry now, but lately all I can seem to think about is Alex. It makes it so much worse with her being apparently everywhere, and Larry is never there when I call since thanksgiving, which has been bothering me. So, I guess I've been leaning on her for comfort, her being familiar to me.

It doesn't help that she is very sexy, and just oozes this natural charm that I've never been able to resist. She's just so confident and so...seductive. She could charm a fucking nun just by arching her eyebrows, I swear it just drips from her pores. And the sex... God, it was so good to feel her against me again. Also, being...deprived of it for a while, and then her being here...the tension between us just built and built, until it exploded. Delayed, thanks to Healy throwing me in SHU. But god, did it explode I think it was inevitable, me and her. She was all over me during that dance, and I was so close to dragging her here then. I didn't want to cheat on Larry. But I can't resist Alex. I swear she has a tide that just sucks me in and makes me want to drown in her. Irresistible.

"Pipes, you ok?" I hear her ask softly.

I tangled my fingertips in the ends of her hair. "I don't know what I'm going to do." I whispered.

"About what?"

I meet her eyes. "Larry."

"Oh, the fiancé." Alex replies, casually, with a hit of sarcasm.

"I mean...what are we doing, Alex?" I asked. "I feel stuck. Between two familiar things."

"Me and him."

"Yes." I reply.

"Piper..." Alex said, turning me around. "I'll always care for you. I'll always love you. I never thought I'd run into you here. The time I had with you was the best I've ever had. You did break my heart, I meant that. I'm sorry we're both in here. But seeing as we are, I'm glad I'm in here with you. It's a small comfort to know I have someone familiar around."

I leaned in and let her wrap her arms around me again, enjoying her comforting embrace. I'm instantly reminded once more of how easy it is with her. How we just fit together so well. Like slipping into an old jacket that has those worn creases where your elbows bend. So familiar, the feel of her, the smell of her. Ok, maybe the last time we were together she didn't smell of prison soap, but still...that scent that just lets me know it's her.

"Did you miss me?" I asked, softly.

"Every day, baby." Alex replies, stroking my shoulder softly.

"I'm sorry." I say. "For leaving you, when you needed me most."

"I know, Pipes. I know." Alex whispers. "You were pissed at me, I understand. I'm sorry I wasn't a better girlfriend."

"We all have faults, Alex."

"Mmm."

We sat together silently, wrapped up in, and comforting each other, until the public address system crackled into life.

_**"ALL PRISONERS MEET IN THE DINING HALL IMMEDIATELY, FOR A COUNSELLOR'S BRIEFING. THAT IS ALL."**_

"Fuck. Always ruining the mood." Alex smirked. I stood up, and then pulled her up with me. She was about to begin walking out of the chapel, when I took her hand and pulled her back towards me. "What?" She said, smiling curiously.

I pulled her to me and kissed her passionately, quickly, before letting my lips part from hers, and she leaned back in for a few more quick, soft pecks.

"We'd better..." I said.

"Yeah..." Alex replied, breathily.

She turned and I followed her out of the chapel, and off to the dining hall.

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**A/N#2: Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Leave me a review, and let me know :)**

**Cheers for reading.**

**~GN~ xo**


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